Healthy Snacks to Prevent Tooth Decay in Kids

You may often find yourself giving your child snacks between meals or in the school lunchbox, but can snacking promote
tooth decay? Which foods are teeth-friendly and which ones should you avoid the next time your child craves a little snack?

Understanding Tooth Decay

Bacteria live in our mouths. When we feast, so do bacteria. Bacteria particularly enjoy breaking down sugars and starches left on the teeth, which leads to the formation of plaque and acid. Acid created by bacteria can damage the teeth if left on the tooth surface for 20 minutes or more. This can lead to tooth decay.

Sticky and Sweet: A Good Treat?

When selecting snacks for your child, read the ingredient label to find out if the snack contains sugars or starches. Select snacks that are
sugar-free or unsweetened. Some sugary snacks and drinks to avoid include:

Candies

Mints

Cookies

Pastries

Soda and juices

If you do decide to give your child a sugary treat, do so at mealtime rather than as a snack. For instance, after dinner you can serve your child a dessert. More saliva is usually generated around mealtime, which makes it easier for food to be washed away from tooth surfaces.

Sugary foods may be obvious tooth decay culprits. But sticky, chewy snacks can also lead to tooth decay. Foods like granola bars, raisins, oatmeal, and peanut butter tend to linger on the teeth longer and are not easily washed away by saliva. This does not mean that you should avoid giving your child these foods, simply encourage your child to brush after a chewy snack.

Teeth-Friendly Snack Options

Here are some snack options for your child that are both teeth-friendly and healthy:

Fruits and Vegetables

Give your child fruits and vegetables that have high water content, like:

Melons

Pears

Celery

Cucumbers

Limit those that are high in concentrated sugars. (Yes, fruits and vegetables do contain natural sugars.) Some fruits to limit include bananas and raisins. Also encourage your child to brush after eating fruit with high concentrations of sugar.

Cheese

Low-fat cheese is a good snack option since it triggers the flow of saliva. Examples include:

Monterey Jack

Cheddar

Swiss

Water

Soda, juice, and milk contain sugar. While milk is important for a growing child, juice and soda can be replaced with water. Water will not harm teeth and will help rinse away food particles. Fluoridated water is also ideal for preventing tooth decay in children 12 years old and under. Check the label on
bottled water
to see if it contains fluoride. For young children, plain water at bedtime is a good choice instead of formula, milk, or juice, which can damage
teeth
overnight.

Other Healthy Teeth Tips

Limit snacking.
Snacking between meals limits the amount of time saliva has to wash away food. This means more food remains in the mouth for bacteria to process. If possible, limit snack time to no more than 1-2 times a day.

Brush teeth.
Have your child brush their teeth with fluoride toothpaste twice a day. Your child should also brush or rinse after every snack and after taking medications, since they may contain sugar. It is also a good idea to floss at least once a day. If brushing or flossing is not possible, have your child rinse with water after snacking to wash away food particles. Flossing should start when your child has 2 teeth that touch each other.

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

The best and worst foods for your teeth. University of Rochester Medical Center website. Available at: https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=1&ContentID=4062. Accessed May 8, 2017.